Special Study 27/10/2014
ASSURANCE OF ANSWERED
PRAYER FOR EVERYONE
Matthew 7:8-11
What a great privilege praying is. It is a
privilege we have not studied, learnt or practised enough. Every believer and
every preacher would do more good in life if he knew what Christ taught in this
passage. It will do us a world of good to lay all excuses and speculative
theories on prayer aside and take the words of Christ at face value. Christ,
Himself, prayed and got supernatural answers like no other man before Him. And
His teaching on prayer is higher than any man’s concept on prayer as the
heavens are higher than the earth.
11:41,42). He prayed with absolute trust and
peaceful confidence. His expectation was based on His relationship with the
Father. That is the true basis for firm expectation in prayer - relationship
with the heavenly Father. Sinners cannot have absolute certainty of receiving
the children’s bread (John 9:31; Psalm 7:11). The goodness of God is to lead
sinners to repentance (Romans 2:4). “God commendeth his love toward us,
in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us”
(Romans 5:8). The first and only prayer a sinner can pray with absolute
assurance is prayer of repentance, forgiveness and salvation in Christ. This
makes him to be born again, truly born into the family of God. Now, with Christ
as his Saviour and God as his Father, the promises of God to all members of His
Family are also his. With the proper relationship with God, we can ask and
receive whatever the Father has promised His own children.
1. THE IMPARTIALITY OF GOD IN ANSWERING PRAYER
Matthew 7:8; Luke 11:10;
Numbers 21:8,9; Acts 10:34,35,43; Romans 2:11; 10:11,12; Psalms 32:6,7; 65:2;
Isaiah 55:1-3; James 1:5.
Partiality is often found in the human family because of man’s
sinful nature (Genesis 37:3; 25:28). Partiality, favouritism, preference,
injustice and unfairness will always cause problems whether they are found in
the human family or in the church family. God’s Word condemns partiality in
clear terms and it is not to be allowed any manifestation in our families or in
the Church (2 Chronicles 19:7; Proverbs 24:23; 28:21; James 2:1,9; Colossians
3:25; Ephesians 6:9). God’s perfection assures us of His impartiality (1 Peter
1:17).
In His response to prayer, God is fair and impartial to all
His children. “Every one that asketh receiveth.” God is more
faithful and infinitely more just than any man that ever lived. After giving us
a promise sometimes man in his earthly, sensual, devilish wisdom (James 3:15)
may find reasons and arguments not to keep those promises - God is infinitely
more righteous and impartial than man. Most parents, even non-Christian
parents, because of natural love and affection will provide necessities of life
for their children. “How MUCH MORE shall your Father which is in heaven
give good things to them that ask Him?”
2 THE
IMPOSSIBILITY OF GETTING ANTITHETIC ANSWERS IN PRAYER
Matthew 7:9,10; Luke
11:11,12; Proverbs 25:21,22; Job 4:17; Psalms 85:12,13; 145:9,19; John
16:23,24; Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 103:1-5; James 1:16,17.
sorrow instead of joy,
setback instead of progress, weakness instead of strength, oppression instead
of deliverance, etc. Some Christians believe such theories so much that they
resign to their fate and say, ‘Thy will be done’! They think they are
resigning or submitting to the will of God when in reality they might be
yielding, giving themselves up to the will of Satan. What would have happened
if Jabez, Hannah, David (during the treachery and treason of Absalom), Esther,
Hezekiah, Jochebed (the mother of Moses) or Jonah had believed such theory of
prayer? Not only they themselves alone but their nation and the world would
have suffered a great loss. Our Lord asks a series of questions with obvious
answers. (1) “What man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will
he give him a stone?” (Matthew 7:9). Will you? No. Are you
better than God? (2) “Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? ”
(Matthew 7:10). Will you? No. Are you more considerate than God? (3) “Or
if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?” (Luke
11:12). Will you? No. Are you more loving and compassionate than God? When you
ask for something good from God, especially when it is something He has
promised in His Word, He will give what is good and beneficial, not what is
evil and injurious.
3. INSIGHT
INTO GOD’S AFFECTION FOR HIS PEOPLE
Matthew 7:11; Luke 11:13;
Psalm 103:11-13; Isaiah 49:15,16; 1:2-4,15-18; 30:8-10,15,18; Romans 8:14-17; 1
John 2:12-17; 3:8-10,19-22; Luke 15:11-32.
human parent could possibly love his own
offspring. No earthly parent would want their children to be wanting or to lack
good things (morally, materially, spiritually) if he could prevent it. Earthly
parents do their best to provide everything necessary to keep their children
healthy, prosperous and happy. Will God do any less? Certainly not! God, in His
infinite love, will do infinitely more for us than earthly parents could ever
do.
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Congregational Song:
TAKE TIME TO BE HOLY
1. Take time to be
holy, speak oft with thy Lord;
Abide in Him
always, and feed on His Word;
Make friends of
God’s children help those who are weak;
Forgetting in
nothing, His blessing to seek.
2. Take time to be
holy, the world rushes on;
Spend much time
in secret with Jesus alone-
By looking to
Jesus, like Him thou shalt be;
Thy friends in
thy conduct His likeness shall see.
3. Take time to be
holy, let Him be thy Guide;
And run not
before Him, whatever betide;
In joy or in sorrow still follow thy Lord,
And, looking to
Jesus, still trust in His word.
4. Take time to be
holy, be calm in thy soul;
Each thought and
each temper beneath His control:
Thus led by His
Spirit to fountains of love,
Thou soon shalt
be fitted for service above.
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